Men's Tennis

FMU to host USTA Campus Kids' Days on Saturday

Mar 07, 2013

The Francis Marion University men's and women's tennis programs, in conjunction with the Florence Tennis Association, will host a USTA Campus Kids' Days event on Saturday (March 9), as the Patriots entertain Tusculum College at 2 p.m. at the Dr. Eddie Floyd Florence Tennis Center.

There will be a free kids' clinic beginning at 11 a.m. All youth tennis players up to age 18 are invited to attend.

"We are very excited about this opportunity," said FMU head coach Garth Thomson. "This event will allow us to give back to the community by assisting and instructing the youth players, and hopefully fans will visit this beautiful facility and enjoy an afternoon of collegiate tennis."

Campus Kids Days are designed to expose current and aspiring junior players (and their parents and coaches) to college tennis.

The many benefits of this program include getting more junior players on college campuses at a young age (exposing them to the fun and excitement of college tennis); filling bleachers with juniors, their parents, and coaches; and helping build stronger ties between college programs (coach and players), their USTA section, and the local tennis community.

Francis Marion is one of approximately 75 schools from across the country taking part in the 2012-13 program.

Admission to the 2 p.m. match between the Patriots and Pioneers is also free. The FMU men are ranked 27th nationally with a 7-3 record, while the 11th-ranked Patriot women are 10-1. The Tusculum men are 3-3 and the women are 5-1.